When Rivers Become Mining Victims: Mercury, Illegal Gold Mining, and Ecological Injustice in West Sumatra

Abstract

Rivers are essential sources of water, food, livelihoods, and ecological stability, yet they increasingly function as sites where the environmental costs of extractive activities become concentrated. This article examines the relationship between illegal gold mining, mercury contamination, river degradation, and ecological injustice in West Sumatra. Focusing on artisanal and illegal mining practices, the study explores how the use and release of hazardous substances can affect aquatic ecosystems, agricultural activities, fisheries, and community health. Beyond environmental contamination, the article investigates the social and political dimensions of mining conflicts, including intimidation, violence, unequal enforcement, and weaknesses in environmental governance. The persistence of illegal mining despite its ecological consequences suggests that environmental degradation cannot be understood solely as a technological or behavioral problem. It is also embedded in economic dependence, regulatory failures, unequal power relations, and limited livelihood alternatives. Using an environmental-justice perspective, the article examines who benefits from gold extraction, who bears the risks of contamination, and whose voices are recognized in decisions concerning river governance. It argues that effective responses require more than enforcement against illegal mining. They must also address the structural conditions that sustain extractive practices while ensuring remediation, community participation, health protection, and accountability. River protection, therefore, should be understood as both an ecological and social justice issue.